If you’ve never hired a professional wedding officiant, then there’s a good chance that you will overlook these important questions to ask.

#1: What are your ordination credentials?

Most people just assume that all wedding officiants are legally qualified to perform wedding ceremonies. Unfortunately, that’s not a safe assumption, especially in North Carolina. In this state, officiants who were ordained by the Universal Life Church have been deemed unqualified to perform marriage ceremonies when these cases go to court. Other online ordinations are at risk too when there is a similar lack of requirements for the ordination. At Love & Wisdom, we have done our homework . All of our officiants are required to be ordained by organizations that require specific qualifications, so you can be assured that your marriage is not going to be voided if it were ever called into question.

#2: How many reviews do you have on 3rd party sites?

Everyone knows that when a company has a page on their website to display reviews, they’re only going to post the best stuff there. Those pages are actually the least viewed pages on most websites for this very reason. Third party sites like WeddingWire, The Knot, and Google are the best places to look for reviews of wedding professionals because these reviews can’t be curated or removed. Reading reviews on these sites will give you a much better sense of how consistent they are and what results you can expect. Love & Wisdom has hundreds of reviews on 3rd party sites, so don’t be shy, go check them out!

#3: Do you have a backup in case of an emergency?

You can’t get married without an officiant. If they get sick or have an emergency and are unable to make it, then you could be in a very dire situation. In fact, we have received more than a few calls from panicked brides over the years hoping that we can save the day. And that’s exactly what we do! At Love & Wisdom, we have a team of about 20 officiants, so we always have a backup available. As your wedding day approaches, you’re going to love having that peace of mind.

I hope this helps you find a reputable officiant for your wedding day. To check our availability, just click here. 

~ Philip Lingle